In 1999 the National Park Service (NPS) converted the C&O Canal National Historical Park to a "trash-free park". This means that the park has no trash cans, and park visitors are expected to carry out all the trash they create while in the park.  Official NPS policy.

Our initial experience indicated that this policy might be so rigorous as to extend to the paper supplies at the trailside sanitary facilities, but queries of the rangers indicated that the lack of toilet paper was either vandalism or a maintenance shortfall.

In any case, our study confirms the outstanding foresight and consideration of the NPS in providing an almost inexhaustible supply of official NPS litter bags, called Trash Free Park Trash Take Out Bags (TFPTTOBs) at trailheads, campsites, picnic areas, and other convenient locations.

Our appreciation peaked on a rainy day of bicycling, when we realized just as we entered the park that our shoes were wet but our socks were still dry. Lo and behold, a shoe liner dispenser was standing right beside the trail entrance!

Since this is a new phenomenon in this park, we are proud to be the first to provide a comprehensive interpretive guide to ways the park visitor might take advantage of this new resource while visiting the park. 

Hiking and Biking Uses 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31   Camping Uses 32-36, 37-41, 42-46, 47-51, 52-54   Picnicking Uses 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74   Entertainment Uses 75-79, 80-84, 85-88   Natural History and Interpretive 89-93, 94-98, 99-100   And Finally, but not least 101

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